Enterprise computing, which includes enterprise resource planning (ERP), integrates various organizational systems to facilitate production and transaction of goods and services. For example, ERP systems provide support to processes such as production planning, sales and distribution, finance, and human resource management and handle functionalities for users. Thus, implementation and integration of ERP systems is an important but challenging task for organizations.
Enterprise computing systems can consist of several different systems. Enterprise system landscapes, especially those of large and/or complex organizations, often include active systems supplied by different vendors of enterprise systems such as SAP®, Oracle®, Salesforce®, etc. Changes in the business of companies impact their enterprise system landscapes. Different vendors and sometimes different generations of enterprise computing systems provided by a particular vendor have databases that organize and store data in unique and/or proprietary manners. For instance, when one company acquires or merges with another company, integration of the business and operations of the resulting business includes integration of enterprise systems as well. The two (or more) companies whose enterprise systems need to be integrated may have systems supplied by different vendors.
Additionally, enterprise system landscapes can become more complex over time, for example, as systems become obsolete and/or as companies add more systems to accommodate different regions, countries, types of business, etc. As such, many companies tend to have heterogeneous enterprise systems. At the same time, there can be significant benefits to consolidating the systems. For example, licensing, maintenance, and personnel costs may be reduced by consolidating enterprise computing systems.